


Wordless Love

by BlueStarPaladin



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adam & Shiro are Keith's dads, Atronomers Shiro & Adam, Courtship, Deaf Keith (Voltron), Fantasy, Fluff, Implied Smut, JuLance Challenge 2018, M/M, Marine Biologist Pidge, Merman Lance (Voltron), Minor Adam/Shiro (Voltron), klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 05:15:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15454116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueStarPaladin/pseuds/BlueStarPaladin
Summary: Self-indulgent mer fanfic for Lance's birthday [28.7.2018].Keith is a deaf artist that draws for a living. He's always sitting on rocks, drawing beautiful views of the ocean, until one day he spots a wounded mer washed up on shore. He saves the mer, and unknowingly begins courting him.





	Wordless Love

**Author's Note:**

> A gift for my son. As a space mum, I'm proud <3 (Lance is the son I'm talking about btw XD)
> 
> There may be some grammar mistakes so sorry for that in advance.

The ocean is a mysterious entity of water, hiding things within that may never be uncovered. Aquatic creatures that the humans have no knowledge of, hidden treasures, ancient civilisations, sunken ships, and many more. Once water swallows them, there is little chance that they’ll return back to the surface.

Even now as Keith Kogane stared out into the vast blue, he began to wonder if the ocean will ever reveal some of it’s secrets. A few brave souls have decided to challenge the seas, exploring it and trying to gain further knowledge of it. Marine biologists, divers, and fishermen are some of the few people that venture out, unafraid of the vast water.

However, no matter how much they’ve tried to study the deep of the water so far, none of them have gotten any closer to the truth, and it’s most likely that they never will. The ocean hosts the unknown, only occasionally allowing some of it’s secrets to wash up to the shore.

Walking along the shore, Keith would occasionally see stranded whales or dolphins, helping them get back into the water if they were alive. Then he’d find strange items such ass shoes, bricks, car license plates, and even parts of boats at times. The thrill of what he’d find brought him back to the beach many times, and soon, he found himself strolling down the beach near his house every evening just before the night would fall.

With his supplies and a canvas in hand, he would always search for a spot that is covered by the shade, finding himself under a palm tree on this particular day. Keith settled down, placing a piece of cloth above the sand before taking out his brushes and then paint. After sorting everything out, he angled his canvas in a way that it would be comfortable for him to draw, leaning against the trunk of the palm tree before looking out at the sea before hi.

He could never get enough of it, even if he comes here every day, he’ll never get bored of it. Especially the way that the sky begins to blend with the ocean, connecting the heaven and earth as one. It was at the moment that the sky would become a shade darker that it would match the colour of the ocean, uniting them. Keith had never seen anything more beautiful.

He picked up his brush, dipping it into blue paint that matched the shade before making contact with the canvas. He knew that he would never be able to recreate such beauty, but as a freelance artist, he saw it as his duty to capture the beauty within as much as he could.

A cold wind blew against his pale skin, reminding him that he didn’t have much time left before night would fall. The sand was soft under his feet, managing to get between his toes as he drew, ignoring the sensations around him to focus solely on his drawing.

Today was suppose to be a day like any other, and so far it felt like it. That is until Keith caught sight of somethig unusual, an anomaly that stood out in the image he was drawing. He looked up from his canvas, focusing on a dot of blue and light brown that was within the waves.

He placed his canvas to the side, standing up to walk over to the object. At first he thought it would be a dolphin judging by the tail he saw, however, that wasn’t the case. Keith had to clear his eyes, trying to focus on what he thought was an unconscious merman laying down among the waves.

He knew that mer existed, but their sightings were always rare, coming up to the surface only for the joy of teasing the humans. He’d heard stories of fishermen being drowned by the said creatures, lured in by their lullabies like puppets before being pulled into the sea.

There was no saying that Keith felt fear course through his body, but despite that, he was conflicted whether he should really help the mer or not. The mer were dangerous, especially when it came to their power to lure humans into the water. Then again, this mer seemed to be hurt, and by the looks of a sharp spear that was sticking out from the side of his tail, the injury seemed grave.

There was blood around, and Keith was sure that soon it would attract all kinds of different marine predators like sharks to them. The mer seemed pained as well, his brows furrowed while his face twisted in pain. His hand shook, touching his tail weakly.

The mer’s tail was a beautiful blue at the top, turning into a lighter shade of blue as it reached the fins. His skin was a tan creamy colour, an exotic shade of the sun, proving that he was privy to being exposed to the sun. His hair was short and brown, and Keith didn’t have it in him to deny that this mer was beautiful.

Without thinking about it too much, Keith let the better side of him take over, trying to pull the mer along the water and into a cave that was nearby. It was a good thing that he usually spends his time drawing on less frequent beaches, otherwise somebody else would have seen the wounded mer as well. In a way the mer was lucky as well that the waves brought him to this part of the island.

The Balmera Island was mostly composed of a large rock, then vast beaches all around. There were many palms lingering at the edges and within the main town where everyone loved to gather. Homes, however, were scattered around, mostly along the shoreline of the sea before being cut by the beaches.

Keith was among the many lucky citizens that got to have a house just beside the sea, only having to cross a patch of grass before his feet would hit the soft sand. He attributed their luck to his two parents, Shiro and Adam. They were engaged and working as astronomers on the island. Keith had learned a lot from them, and even now that he’s almost reached the age of twenty, they’re still as caring as when he first met them. He wouldn’t change them for the world.

Somehow Keith managed to drag the mer into the cave, getting himself wet in favour of not having to carry the mer all by himself on land. It was better for the both of them this way, but it still left the danger of other dangerous aquatic animals being lured in by the blood.

Managing to make it inside the cave, Keith pulled himself up on the rock, then using all of his force to pull up the mer as well. The creature winced and then cried out as his body was being pushed onto rock, clinging onto his wounded tail.

Keith was being wary of the spear, but now that they’ve reached the cave, there was no other way to help the mer but to take it out himself. He’d done it before with whales but never with mer.

He moved to stand beside the creature, it’s eyes opening to reveal beautiful blue eyes that were hidden under the eyelids. It looked at him weakly, Keith pointing to the spear so that the mer knew what he would be doing.

The mer hissed, then groaned out in pain. It had to be done, and any more time that is wasted could worsen the process. Keith readied himself, gripping onto the spear and counting to three before pulling harshly.

The mer let out an ear piercing scream as Keith pulled out a spear, letting it fall on the rock beside him as he watched the mer thrash against the ground. It’s hands immediately reached for his tail, trying to touch the wound and managing to do so while bloodying his hands.

Keith bit his lip, feeling useless in face of someone who was in such great pain. He didn’t have an emergency kit so he could do nothing but try to press onto the wound to stop the bleeding. There was blood on his hands now, but he didn’t care, helping the pained mer by pressing onto the wound and trying to stop the bleeding.

The thrashing slowly subdued and the mer lay limply against the rock, tired eyes looking up at Keith in uncertainty. The pale boy looked at him, their eyes meeting in a silent message of uncertainty and the will to help.

By some miracle the bleeding lessened, less blood coming out before eventually stopping completely. The wound needed to be disinfected and bandaged but he didn’t have any of those things. Keith had to make the ultimate decision of leaving the mer for a minute to fetch those items, hoping the mer wouldn’t somehow swim away. He doubt he would in the condition he’s in, but it was still a possibility.

Blue eyes remain on him at all times, Keith trying to silently tell the mer that he’ll come back, hoping that the creature would understand. He stood up, facing the mer and indicating that he’ll come back before jumping into the water and making his way out of the cave.

He managed to make it to the shore, bare feet sinking into the sank as he made a run for it. Sand is infamous for slowing anyone down when they ran, and as he made it to the grass, Keith picked up on speed.

Opening the door of their unlocked house, Keith ran inside to snatch the emergency kit, checking if the disinfectant, cotton and bandages were inside. Luckily they were, thanks to Adam who made sure the kit had everything they needed at all times.

Thankfully his parents weren’t home, informing him earlier in the day that they would stay at work for a bit longer. That played in his favour, all covered in the mer’s blood. Once he got everything he needed, Keith ran back out, running as fast as he could to the cave, relieved to see that the mer was still in the same place where he left him.

Now came the terrifying idea if the mer died while he ran out in that short period of time. Climbing up the rock, Keith was relieved to see the mer panting, eyes slightly open and weak as he watched Keith approach.

The human got to work, taking out the disinfectant and cotton, before looking at the mer. He didn’t know what the creature would make of it, and it will hurt at first, but it had to be done. He slowly pressed the wet cotton pad against the wound, the mer hissing instantly at the contact. He snarled at Keith, showing his sharp teeth while also trying to claw at him.

Keith moved away, waiting for the mer to calm before weakly falling down against the ground. He approached again, waiting as the mer glared at him, intimidating him in his own way. It wasn’t enough for Keith though, showing the pad to the mer before doing anything else. The creature looked at it suspiciously, remaining laying down as Keith began dabbing at the wound once again.

The mer hissed, but this time surprisingly bore with the pain. Eventually the stinging subdued and Keith was done with the disinfecting process. Next he reached for the bandages, beginning to wrap the tail as the mer watched. It was surprising that the mer let him, only silently watching him as he finished wrapping the tail, making sure it wasn’t too tight or loose.

He closed the kit, turning to the mer who moved to touch at the bandage, examining the foreign human item. It blinked, meeting Keith’s eyes as if silently asking for an explanation.

And that was a problem. How could he explain?

He thought about it for a minute, settling on showing it with his hands. He showed the mer seven of his fingers, representing seven days. Then a circle to represent the sun. He showed the sun setting, and then coming out again, emphasising the days needed to pass by.

The mer raised a brow, and Keith was pretty sure that he didn’t understand any of it. There was no he would anyway. Instead it surprised him when the mer grabbed his hand, a smile appearing on his face. It held amusement within it, and perhaps also a tint of mischief as well.

Keith didn’t move, feeling the tight grip on his hand as the mer’s lips began to move. His movements were slow at first, but then he was sure that the loudness of his voice increased. He was singing, the lullaby that hypnotises a human into doing their bidding. Keith froze in fear, stiff as he watched the mer’s lips move, realising that it was really happening.

However, no matter how long the mer would sing his lullaby, Keith would never hear it. He couldn’t, and never in his life had he been thankful for it before. The mer seemed to notice when he cracked his eyes open to look at him, ceasing in his singing to stare at Keith in disbelief.

Their eyes met, frozen in time for a minute as they did nothing but stare into each other’s eyes. That is until broke them apart, managing to snatch his hand away from the tight grip, taking steps away from the mer.

He felt his heart race in fright, turning to run out of the cave. He didn’t look back to see what the mer did, jumping into the water before eventually making it back onto the shore. He ran into his house, jumping into the shower as quick he could. His clothes were scattered but he didn’t care to pick them up right now.

Now when the thoughts that the mer attempted to hypnotise him were swirling within his mind.

 

* * *

 

The morning began like any other, and that is to the light shining brightly into his eyes. Keith groaned, turning himself over so that he could block the light. He was lucky that the sun managed to wake him today because it meant that he was awake before Shiro would come in and shake him awake.

He sat up in bed, stretching his hands up when the door opened and Shiro emerged. He held a cup in his hand, wearing a black tank top to show off his muscles. The older man smiled, greeting Keith with sign language, signing a ‘hello’ before Keith could answer with his own greeting, which was flipping a bird at Shiro angrily.

The man sighed, “You never change. Come on, Adam already made breakfast for us.” Shiro said it as he signed it, telling Keith to hurry before disappearing. The teen grumbled, jumping out of bed and going over to the bathroom.

After finishing his business, he took his school bag in hand, draping over his exposed shoulder. If Shiro was wearing a tank top, then he’ll do the same. He also made sure to grab his sketch book along with his… Oh… He left his brushes back at the beach.

And that’s when he remembered the mer.

He had second thoughts about it, but he knew that inevitably he would have to go and check on him. He wondered if the mer decided to swim away, which would be dumb of him with the wound, so he was curious about that.

With his things gathered, he made his way down to the kitchen.

“Good morning Keith, sleep well?” His second dad, Adam, greeted with a smile, signing as he went. The pale boy nodded, settling himself down in front of a plate of pancakes with maple syrup.

“Sorry for staying out late last night Keith, but it looks like we’ll have to do it again. Will you manage?” Shiro asked, the boy nodding and focusing his attention mainly on the pancakes.

“Also, what’s up with all this sand on the carpet? Did you run in from the beach?” Adam joined them, Keith freezing at the mention of it. He proceeded to explain that it was a mistake, finishing his pancakes quickly before taking his bag and getting out of the house.

“Have fun at school!” Shiro called after him, door closing as Keith left.

“Something up?” Adam asked, eating contently and watching as his fiancé sighed, shaking his head.

“Nothing. It’s just Keith per usual.” The man took a bite of his pancake, “Or it could be that kid James causing trouble again.”

“Should we help?” The kind soul he was, Adam worried.

Shiro shook his head, knowing fully well that Keith wouldn’t like it, “We’ll let him handle it. He doesn’t like us getting into his business and its normal for his age. Just let him sort it out on his own.”

“Alright.” They both agreed, and once they were done with their breakfast, they left for work.

 

* * *

 

Keith was attending art classes for the most of the week, and then he would get commissioned for a drawing. That’s how he earned his bread, and even if it wasn’t much, he still loved doing it. Unfortunately for him though, he didn’t have most of his supplies today, meaning he had to borrow.

Anyway, the class was over now, and Keith found himself running back to the beach to get his stuff. Luckily everything was left untouched where it was, and nothing was missing.

He looked at the direction of the cave, eyeing it in hesitation. he had this inner need to check up on the mer, but then again, what if he attacks him? or worse, begins to sing again? Not like Keith would be affected, but it was still terrifying to see that a mer would try luring him in with his song. If he could hear, then he wouldn’t be standing right here where he was now.

Letting curiosity get the better of him though, Keith made his way towards the cave. He had his backpack on his back, managing to somehow keep it dry despite entering the water. Once the inside of the cave was in sight, he noticed that the mer was still inside, leaning against a different rock. He must have pushed himself up there.

Keith raised himself up from the sea and onto the rock, making eye contact with the mer as soon as he did. The mer was looking with him curiously, and did nothing to intimidate Keith in any sort of way. That must be a good sign.

Looking down at his wounded tail, Keith was glad that the mer understood him at least somewhat and kept the bandage on. Or at least Keith would like to think that his sign language was that good that even those who didn’t know it would understand.

Anyway, hands or not, Keith brought along with him a much more efficient tool that will help him communicate with the mer. He seated himself on the ground, not too far away from the mer but also not too close.

The mer did nothing but watch, none of Keith’s movements going unseen. Even as he set his bag down and took out some paper, along with pens and pencils, the mer only observed.

Right, now was the time to try and initiate a conversation with the creature. He started with a simple drawing, drawing a face with sharp teeth and an intimidating look, representing the mer trying to attack him.

Keith looked up at the creature, noticing that he was leaning a bit closer now. The pens must have gotten his attention because he swore that the mer was reaching out to take one of his pens.

He took one, the mer perking up as he did. Yep, it was in the pens. He leaned closer just a tad bit, enough so that the mer could take it from his hands. The creature didn’t take ahold of it immediately but instead eyed it curiously before taking it.

Keith watched as the mer examined the item carefully, as if it was something akin to the purest of gold. The mer might have tried to hypnotise him before, but Keith couldn’t find it in himself not to chuckle, or laugh at the way the mer was looking at it.

The laugh had gotten the creature’s attention, turning to face him with a surprised expression. Then Keith noticed a smile forming on the mer’s face as well, and that was when the pale boy turned his drawing for the mer to see, pointing at it and then at the mer as well.

The creature moved his lips, and Keith guessed that he must be talking. Do mer even speak human language? Probably not if the way his lips moved were anything to go by. One way Keith managed to get by is also by reading the lips of others. It’s amazing just how many things you can learn from a human’s body language alone, and that was enough for him to understand the people around him, even those that didn’t initiate contact with him.

But when it comes to the mer, Keith couldn’t understand.

He tried to show the mer that he didn’t get what he was saying, which seemed to get through to the other because soon he shook his head, pointing at the picture and then himself. Okay, so he’s saying that he’s not a scary monster that wants to eat him. But is he telling the truth?

Keith took out another piece of paper, set on drawing a rough sketch of the merman’s head singing, trying to emphasise the singing past by having the figure leaning its right hand against its chest and the other up in the air.

He turned it to the mer, who took time to examine it. Keith watched him as he looked at it, spotting a sudden blush appear on his cheeks. It took Keith by surprise, staring as the mer looked away, almost in a pout as he clenched the both of his hands.

The creature refused to look at him but eventually he did, the blush still there. Huh… He did nothing to answer. Okay, Keith decided to move on and ask again later.

Instead he decided to take a different approach, this time drawing two hands held together. He turned it to the mer who perked up, eyes moving onto the drawing before nodding rapidly. He pushed himself closer to Keith, and it took the human by surprise, moving slightly away. The mer seemed to notice though, stopping himself before he could get too close for Keith’s comfort.

He showed him both of his webbed hands, bringing them together and holding onto one another, representing the holding of hands. Keith guessed that he really wanted to be friends, those blue eyes looking at him expectantly with a smile that stretched wide.

Maybe this mer wasn’t dangerous after all? And even if he wanted to hypnotise Keith, he could never do it. The thought may have been ridiculous but somewhere inside, Keith wanted to give this a shot.

He moved his hand, offering it to the merman who perked up at the gesture. Although he was considerate, extending his hand and waiting for Keith to reach out first. The human did so, very slowly, before their hands met in a handshake.

The mer was beaming in excitement at the gesture, and Keith? He never thought he would try befriending a dangerous mer, but here he was, sitting beside a wounded mer and keeping him company before he could heal and get back into the sea.

 

* * *

 

After establishing their friendship, Keith had found himself going back to his house to get some fish for the mer to eat. He wasn’t sure what the mer usually ate, but upon asking the said creature, he confirmed that he really liked fish.

That’s why Keith found himself gathering all the fish they had in their kitchen, making a mental note to himself to go to the market to get some fresh fish tomorrow. Apart from that, he doubted there would be anything else the mer would want.

After gathering everything, he quickly made a run for the beach, frowning at the fact that he has to get wet everything he wants to enter the cave. Nonetheless, it had to be done, so he did.

A huge smile spread across the mer’s face once he noticed the fish, grabbing some out of Keith’s hands before shoving them down his throat. He seemed content eating them, so Keith took out more fish from within his bag, handing the over to the mer.

Once the mer had enough, and was full, they both got back to talking, which meant drawing for them. Keith drew all kinds of different dribbles, trying to learn a bit more about the mer while also telling him about himself.

He drew his house first, a share shaped building with only two floors to it. It was a normal beach cottage house type of a structure, made with white wood and a blue roof. Surprisingly the mer seemed to recognise it, nodding in affirmative that he’s seen it before. If he was swimming near the island, then it wouldn’t be strange for the creature to see the many houses that were around. It made sense.

Next Keith moved onto drawing Shiro and Adam, trying to tell the mer that they were his parents. The mer tilted his head to the side, but eventually understood that they were his family.

When the mer gestured toward his pen, Keith handed it over to him along with a piece of paper, watching as the mer attempted to scribble on it. It was cute in a way because after a minute, Keith understood that he was trying to draw his own family. There were three-no, four mer in the picture, and the count just continued rising from there. Eventually there were a total of six mer drawn on it, and once he was done, the mer proceeded to explain who everyone as best he could.

His webbed hands didn’t help him much while drawing, but it was good enough so that Keith understood who everyone was. The first figure he pointed to was the father, the largest of them all. Then his mother, siblings, and other mer Keith had to guess who they were. It was as far as communication by hand and drawing could take them, that is unless they add in a few words.

It might have been a silly thought, but Keith took his pen, writing ‘dad’ over the drawing of the mer father, turning to the mer to see if he would understand. The reaction he received was a confused one, which meant that it was fruitless to try and communicate this way.

He could try and bring in some books next time and try teaching the mer human alphabet if only so that they could write to each other on paper. If would be almost impossible with his lack of hearing, and he was most likely going to fail, but he decided to give it a shot.

 

* * *

 

As he thought, maybe he was too hopeful by trying to teach the mer human alphabet. It took them nowhere and only made them both more frustrated then they already were due to the countless unsuccessful trials.

Although there was a light at the end of the tunnel, because even though Keith couldn’t tech the mer how to write, he could still teach him sign language. He always began with simple things, such as a greeting, goodbye, thumbs up, thumbs down, sad, happy, and so on.

Once he formed a shape of a heart with his hands, the mer didn’t understand it at first, but when Keith leaned it against his chest, that’s when the mer blushed, looking at him with parted lips. It was awkward when they ended up like this, the mer always looking away with pink tinted cheeks.

He sighed, settling on drawing instead to apologise if he did anything wrong. He showed a sketch of a figure that is apologetic, the mer quickly shaking his head. A webbed hand reached out to grab one of the fishes Keith had brought him for the day, handing it over to him. The human wasn’t sure if he should accept or reject it, but he decided to take it, the mer smiling happily at the action.

There was a tint of something missing that Keith noticed though, a want to hunt the fish himself. Keith could tell by the way the mer was looking at the water, hand clenched to the side in frustration as he did. His shoulders were a bit tense, but they relaxed as soon as the mer looked at him, leaning against his side and taking one of his pens.

They began drawing again, spending their time by showing each other sketches and dribbles while also learning more about each other. At one point the mer took Keith by surprise, taking his hand as they looked into each other’s eyes.

The creature moved his lips, saying something Keith couldn’t understand. The mer spoke in a native mer language, but as he was talking, he leaned his hand against his chest, pointing to himself. His name… he was telling him his name.

Keith wouldn’t understand, but if he couldn’t read mer language, then he’ll just think of it as if it were English. He managed to make out an ‘L’, then an ‘A’, ’N’, ‘C’, ‘E’. Lance, that’s what he decided to call the mer.

Keith smiled at the other, showing him that he partially understood. He won’t be able to return the gesture, but it was only right that he tried to introduce himself. He moved his lips, no sounds coming out as he spoke.

Lance tilted his head to the side, trying to understand in his own way what Keith’s name could be. Eventually he nodded, trying to repeat what he thought was Keith’s name.

I was no surprise that the name was off, but if they worked on it, the mer could eventually get it.

 

* * *

 

The wound on Lance’s tail was healing nicely, and Keith was glad to see the progress. Soon enough, the mer would be able to swim back into the sea and go back home where his family is waiting for him. However, before he does, Keith wanted to get to know the mer a bit more.

It was the third day since Keith found the mer wounded on the beach, crawling into the cave as he sat down his bag full of fish. Lance excitedly crawled over to him, pulling Keith up and helping him settle down.

The two had gotten incredibly close during the span of those three days, and in a way it surprised Keith. He wasn’t a social person, and crowds weren’t something he was privy to. However, when it comes to the mer, Keith found it easy to talk to him, and a part of him thought that the mer understood him.

They couldn’t communicate as others normally would, but that’s what made their interactions special. It was _their_  thing, something they could do only with each other. Truthfully, it didn’t bother Keith at all, that is apart from the wish he had to hear what the mer’s voice sounded like.

He could only imagine how smooth it would be, beautiful in a way that it had the power to hypnotise those who heard it. Oh… And luckily, after that one time, Lance never tried to sing again. Instead the mer would try to stay as close to him as he could, eating the fish Keith brought him happily, swinging his tail to show his content at having it brought to him.

In a sense Lance was like a dog, or a kitten that is waiting for its owner to feed it and pet it. Keith didn’t mind it though, as long as it would help the mer recover. And now that they were together again, he wanted to try something new.

Once Lance was done eating his last fish, Keith motioned for him to stay still, the mer quirking a brow at that.

Taking a pencil and a paper, Keith began to sketch, throwing a few glances Lance’s way before looking at his canvas again. He was willing to show the mer something new, show him what he was fully capable of doing. It’s something he excelled at, and honestly, he really wanted to see what the mer would think of his drawing.

He drew with Lance looking over at the drawing beside him, awed as he watched the lines slowly form his face. He didn’t know it at first, but once the more finer details came in, that was when Lance understood what Keith was trying to do.

His blue eyes were wide as Keith finished his last stroke, turning to give the mer his new masterpiece. Webbed hands held onto the fragile paper, speechless as he looked at it and then at Keith, the paper, Keith, the paper, Keith. He pointed at himself, and then at the drawing, asking if it was really him.

Keith nodded in affirmative, smiling as he pointed to different parts of the drawing. He pointed to the hair, and then touched Lance’s real locks. The cheeks, then he poked at them.

The mer’s face gained a tint of pink, looking away while hiding his face within his palms. Keith took that as a sign of victory, grinning while taking the drawing, adding his signature to it. He half wanted to show it to Shiro and Adam, but seeing Lance so happy with it, he decided to give it to him to keep in the cave.

 

* * *

 

“What’s the smile for?” Shiro asked the pale boy as he hurried down for breakfast, taking a single toast before waving and running out the door. The older man sighed, waving after him, “Good luck in school!”

“I’ve never seen him so excited like that before.” Adam noted, placing down his own plate of eggs on the table, “Maybe he found himself a girlfriend or a boyfriend?”

“Maybe? He’s so happy that I really can’t tell, but I’m happy for him. I like this Keith much more than the broody one we usually see. I wonder who it is that’s made him change this much.” Shiro hummed, taking a bite out of his toast.

“Hopefully he’ll introduce us to them someday.” Adam wondered.

“Don’t get your hopes up. It’s Keith we’re talking about. It’ll take him a while to show us his date, you know that he’s more on the shy side.” That’s just what the pale boy was like.

“True.” Adam smiled, the two of them finishing their breakfast before heading off to work.

 

* * *

 

It’s been five days since Keith found a wounded Lance on the shore, and his tail was already doing so much better. It shouldn’t have been possible for him to heal so quickly by human standards, but maybe mer had a higher regeneration ability? All that was left in place of the wound was a scar, one that will most likely remain. Still, he wanted the mer to stay in the cave a bit longer so that Keith can be sure that he’ll be okay once he returns to the sea.

Lance seemed frustrated at the idea, but once they began drawing again, that frustration seemed to disappear. One thing that Keith noticed that that the mer was getting really clingy as time went by, rubbing against him just like a cat would.

Actually, if there was no tail or the webbing between his fingers, Keith would have mistaken him for a feline. Although Lance did have pointy ears as well, more fins like than actual human ears. They were beautiful, as well as the scales on his upper body that made it seem like his skin was shining.

One thing that they both enjoyed doing was drawing each other, especially Lance. The mer was a terrible artist, but once Keith took the brush and began drawing, the mer found himself stunned every time.

Even now as they were in the cave, Keith decided to do another portrait of Lance, asking the mer to lay down in a way he wanted him to be drawn. Keith was glad that the mer understood, settling himself against the rock with his hand leaned against his forehead and tail slightly curved. The human couldn’t help himself but blush slightly at the sigh, flustered at how exotic the mer looked.

It reminded him of the scene in Titanic, and he was pretty sure that if the mer knew of it, he would joke about it right now as well. Keith gathered himself, set on drawing the mer as is. His eyes trailed down the long blue tail, glittering from the light that was reflected from the water and into the cave.

Then his violet eyes moved onto the hips and the torso, noting the curve of the bone there. He moved onto the mer’s upper chest next, drawing the hands that were raised up and resting above the head, eventually leading him to the face.

As his eyes moved to look at his model, their eyes meet for a moment before Keith looked away, hiding behind the canvas. Over the couple of days they’d spent together, Keith had come to appreciate the beauty of the mer he’d been drawing thus far.

Lance was beautiful, and Keith found every part of him to be perfect. It might have been silly of him, but no matter how many drawings he drew, he never showed it to anyone else. For one, if he showed it to Shiro and Adam, they would immediately be onto him.

Shiro had the eyes of a hawk, ever perspective and sharp in their deduction. Adam on the other hand he might trust, but he was terrible at keeping secrets from Shiro, which meant that if he told him, Shiro would know about it as well. In the end, he told no one.

Not even Pidge who was his closest friend. Why? Because she’s a marine biologist, and if she knew, she would come to dissect the poor mer right away. It was a secret he kept to himself, relishing every minute he’d spend with the mer.

And now as he finished the drawing, Lance pushed himself up happily, waiting for Keith to show him his latest work. As soon as the human approached him and showed it to him, the mer remained quiet, eyes wide as he stared at it.

Keith would get this reaction every time, and honestly, it made him so incredibly happy that the mer would admire all of his work like that. It was different from Pidge who would praise him and then move to talk about something else. That is not to say, however, that Pidge doesn’t appreciate his work. That’s now what he’s trying to say.

It was just that his drawings made such a huge impact on Lance that Keith could see it. The drawing really remained with him for a while after seeing it for himself, and it made Keith feel all warm and happy on the inside.

He felt flustered, even as Lance turned to face him, a blush and a soft smile on his face. He moved his hands to form the shape of a heart, leaning it against his chest. It had an impact on poor Keith who felt his own heart beat louder, cheeks burning red. It was excising to have someone as beautiful as Lance appreciate his work, and honestly Keith loved every second of it.

The mer was captivating, beautiful and stunning. Their eyes met, violet looking into blue in deep appreciation. They were beautiful, and so hypnotising that Keith didn’t even notice it when Lance moved his hand to the side of Keith’s face, moving some of his raven black locks away from his face.

He leaned his cheek against the webbed hand, relishing the cool touch. His eyes remained on the blue, unmoving as Lance moved closer, their lips eventually meeting to place a small peck on the lips. The mer was being careful as to not scare him, and Keith appreciated the gesture. Everything about Lance was soft, caring of how Keith would react.

It was so incredibly sweet that Keith found himself leaning closer this time, pressing their lips together until eventually the kiss deepened and they found themselves passionately making out in the privacy of the cave.

Lance was being mindful of his sharper teeth, designed to fear the flesh of fish apart. He was so careful that Keith never got a single scratch, the kiss being as ravishing and enjoyable as it could be.

And when they parted, they were both crimson red, flustered by what they’d done. Then again, as Lance’s lips curved into a loving smile, Keith couldn’t find it in himself to do nothing but melt into the touch, embracing the mer who returned the gesture, both of them laying down and looking up at the rocks above.

Lance’s body was warm, snuggling close to Keith as he moved his tail closer, prompting Keith to move both of his legs around the tail. The mer seemed to give a happy purr at that, not that Keith could hear it, but the content look on Lance’s face was enough for him to know that the mer was happy just laying down like this.

 

* * *

 

Seven days passed since their meeting and by now, Lance’s tail was fully healed. A scar remained, but that was to be expected after such a deep wound. The time had come for Keith to help the mer get back into the water, carefully lowering him down into the water of the sea.

Lance moved moved his tail as it met with the water, the feeling of salt water on him energising him anew. Keith had made sure to wash the mer while he was inside the cave, but nothing could beat the feeling of being fully submerged.

When Lance was fully in the water, he swam a little deeper, stretching out his limps and tail before re-emerging on the surface again, waving back at Keith who was watching him happily.

It didn’t take Lance long to swim back to him, the two now moving onto another location so that Lance could be exposed to the sun. Unlike what Pidge told him, the mer did like the sun, or at least Lance did. He pushed himself up on a rock, his upper body and most of his tail exposed to the sun.

Keith positioned himself so that he was stretched beside him, the two of them now finding themselves pointing at different houses on the island, and Keith proceeded to tell Lance all about them as much as he could.

He should mention here that they made huge progress with sign language while they were in the cave. Lance could now understand most of the things he said, was fulfilling in a way that they could convey so much more than they could before.

At one point Keith asked the mer about going back to his family, and Lance nodded enthusiastically at that. Although his face soon fell, moving to point at the scar on his tail. From what Keith understood, a mer’s tail was a precious thing, and now with the scar, the rest of the mer might view Lance differently.

It worried Keith that Lance might be discriminated against for something he couldn’t prevent, and he sincerely hoped that the other mer wouldn’t push him away because of it.

Once sunset came, Keith felt incredible sadness wash over him when they were about to part. He never though he’d befriend the mer this way, and as they leaned their forehead together, a gesture of a mer’s goodbye, their lips met once again, kissing along the waves of the sea.

Somehow the kiss felt even better while swimming in the sea, or maybe it was the added effect of the sunset behind them, but nevertheless, Keith couldn’t get enough of it. Once they parted, Lance made sure to swim back to the shore with Keith, helping him get out before swimming further out.

Keith gave a wave, smiling softly as the mer waved back, then disappeared under the water. They agreed to meet again tomorrow, but it was still worrying to see Lance go. What if he gets injured again? Finds it hard to swim with his new scar?

Keith found it hard to sleep that night, hoping that the mer would be safe and sound when he returned back to meet him.

 

* * *

 

Keith rushed out of the house the next morning, even before Adam and Shiro woke up, which was incredibly rare. No, actually, it never happened before, and if Shiro begins questioning him about it from now on, Keith didn’t care. All he could think about was seeing the mer again. Once his feet made contact with sand, he looked around to see if he could spot the mer anywhere, but Lance was nowhere to be seen. Instead of searching the shoreline, Keith made a beeline for the cave, quickly walking into the water before entering.

He felt a pang of worry when he found that the cave was empty, Lance nowhere to be seen. He spotted some of his drawings still hanged around the cave that used to be the mer’s home, remembering the times they’d spent together. It only prompted Keith to search for him, but as luck would have it, he felt water splash all over him, turning to spot the mer laughing behind him, splashing him with more water.

Keith frowned, but no matter how mad he should have been at the moment, he couldn’t find it in himself to be furious. Relief washed over him, throwing himself on the mer and submerging him under the water. They played in the water for a bit before climbing onto the rock, settling themselves on top.

Keith was surprised to see that Lance was carrying seaweed akin to a bag, tied together to allow him to carry things with him. Lance noticed his curiosity, grinning smugly as he reached into the bag, taking out fish after fish. The quantity of fish Lance had caught was huge, and Keith found himself questioning just how they managed to fit into the bag. The mer shoved them all into his arms, smiling widely and contently as he did.

Keith didn’t know what to do with all these fish, but he thanked Lance for them anyway, forming a heart with his hands to show that he appreciated the gesture. Lance beamed, but then slowly proceeded to take out a smaller item from the bag, a blush on his face and hesitating to show it to Keith.

The human watched as the mer took in a deep breath, then extended his hand and opening his palms to show Keith what he was holding. Violet eyes widened once he saw a beautiful necklace with corals and a seashell at the front. The corals were white while the seashell was reddish in colour.

Keith took it within his hand, noticing as the shell sparkled in the light. It was marvellous, his eyes moving onto Lance who moved his hands to take the necklace from Keith. The human watched curiously as the mer moved it over his head, helping Keith put it on before it came to rest on his chest.

Just now Keith realised that he’d been holding in his breath, looking up at Lance who leaned his hand against his cheek. He leaned into the touch, moving closer to kiss the other.

Lance’s gills moved in a way that showed that he was pleased, along with his ears that stretched before retreating again. Keith moved his arms around the mer, slowly lowering him onto the rock of the cave so that he was hovering on top. The necklace was hanging around Keith’s neck, the seashell sparking as their lips met once again, relishing the presence of each other.

Keith’s breath hitched once the mer pulled on his shirt, then reached under his shirt to touch the skin under. He shuddered at the sensation of the webbed hands, carefully and gently moving along his skin.

He felt hot all over, taking off his shirt without thinking to much about it. Their skin met, a tangled mess of arms and kisses all over. They’d forgotten about the time, or anything else for that matter. Their thoughts were hazy as they explored each other.

The only moment when Keith was snapped back to reality was when he felt Lance’s finger pull at his swimming trunks, beaming red as he paused to look at the mer. Lance paused as well, letting go with a massive blush on his face. The aura around them suddenly became awkward, Keith finding himself hesitating at what to do.

He didn’t know how this could work, or if it was possible, but he felt himself wanting to explore. Looking into Lance’s blue eyes, he felt that he could trust the mer, letting him lead them through this, whatever it was.

Keith traced his hand along Lance’s shoulder, moving closer to kiss the other once again. He let the webbed hands touch along his body, and eventually they found themselves laying down on a rock, an intertwined mess of limbs.

Keith never knew it was possible, but as they both continued to express their love, they connected in a way he never thought they would.

 

* * *

 

“Why did you want me to bring all these books about the mer all of a sudden?” Pidge asked curiously as she placed a huge stack of book on the library table in front of Keith, the pale boy opening the one on top as soon as se brought it over.

“Are you doing anatomy research for your drawings? Or is there something more to it?” She asked, Keith nodding in confirmation as he flipped the page, searching for anything that could tell him about how the mer mated.

“Uhhh… Don’t tell me you’re trying to see what mer dicks look like.” The girl asked in horror, signing her words before Keith closed his book fully, beaming red in embarrassment. He shook his head rapidly, looking away from Pidge who had one of the biggest grins he’d seen on the girl.

“Awww! Don’t worry Kogane, dicks are part of anatomy after all. I know for a fact that artists practice drawing dicks as well. Greek paintings and statues all had nude men and women in them, and they needed to do some research to draw those, right?” Pidge poked him with her fingers while Keith wised for nothing more but to evaporate from the face of the Earth.

He snatched a piece of paper, writing down a message before handing it over for Pidge to read. The girl took it, looking over the words. “You want to know about how the mer find their mating partners?”

The pale boy nodded.

“You don’t need those books then. I can tell you all about it. Don't you know I’m a marine biologist?” She sighed, leaning her head against her hand. “Mating is actually really sacred for the mer. It’s one of the most important aspects of their lives. When they find someone they like, they give them all kinds of courting presents and also catch a lot of fish for their mate to eat. In a way they mirror a lot of other animals that do the same thing.”

Pidge made sure to write down what she was saying so that Keith understood it.

“There are a lot of aspects to it, but basically it all comes down to courting presents and fish to eat. Then when the mer that is being courted returns a gift, it means that they’re ready to bond with the mer that started courting them. Mating comes after courtship. It’s when the mer decide that they want to be with each other for the rest of their lives, biting each other’s necks to place a bonding mark and mark them as theirs. With the mark, the other mer would know that that specific individual is taken.”

Keith nodded along, thinking back to him and Lance. It had hit him then that he could have unconsciously began courting the mer without him even knowing about it. He’d brought Lance fish to eat while he was wounded, and then gave him all the portraits of him he’d drawn. If the humans understood this part of the mer culture, then it would mean that he was the one who began courting the mer.

And now Lance brought him fish as well, along with the necklace he had hidden under his shirt. His face beamed in crimson colour, slumping against the table to hide his face.

“But there’s a recent theory we’ve made about the mer, we’re not sure about it, but we think it may have some merit to it.” Pidge poked at him, making him look up at her paper.

“You know how mer lure humans into the water with their songs?” She asked, Keith nodding.

“Well, we think it might not be the complete truth. Their lullaby might very well be one of their ways of attracting potential mates. We’re not sure about this, but it could be that mer judge each other based on their song. It only so happens that the mer confuse us humans for other mer sometimes, and thus ending up in hypnotising us instead. The lullaby has a different effect on us humans than the mer.” Pidge paused, eyeing Keith who was now evading her personal space.

She cleared her throat, pushing him away so that she could write again, “In other words, for us humans, the song hypnotises us, but for the mer, if they like the song, they they’ll continue listening to it.”

Keith found himself stunned, eyes wide as he thought over what Pidge said. If she was right, and the marine biologists’ theory was correct, then that would mean that Lance saw him as a potential mate when they met for the first time and wanted to see if he would accept him.

It might be a crazy thought, and still didn’t explain how some fishermen drowned… But then again, if they were hypnotised, it would be a result of the mer not knowing what effect their song had on the humans.

It was a strange idea, but somehow it made sense.

“Along with the lullaby, the mer also show off their tails and try to show themselves off to their potential mates. Their tails are very important to them as well, and if one ends up being damaged, it labels them as an outcast in their society.” Pidge wrote, and Keith’s mind immediately drifted to Lance swimming within the sea. The mer he once knew looking at him differently because of the scar he sustained.

Keith couldn’t help but take the pen, writing down, “What about their families? Would they reject them?”

Pidge quirked a brow, finding his sudden interest of the topic suspicious, “No, we think the families never reject members of their families, even if they’re injured.” She side eyed him, pushing up her glasses, “You know… Why are you suddenly interested in the mer? You never listened when I told you about them before.”

Keith flinched, writing down his answer, “For drawing. Want to draw a mer.”

“Yeah… Right…” The girl said sarcastically, leaning her head against the palm of her hand.

“Kogane? What’re you doing in the library? Don’t you usually scribble on a rock somewhere?” Keith felt someone tap against his shoulder, turning around to spot non other than James, one of his classmates. He rolled his eyes, deciding on fully ignoring the jerk so that he gets bored of it and leaves him alone.

“What’re you up to nerds? Doing research on the mer?” He eyed the books, spotting a particularly interesting cover. He took the said book, eyeing it curiously, “Mermaid anatomy? Why do you need this?” he flipped through the pages, or at least tried to before Pidge snatched the book away.

“Fuck off. Find something better to do you lowlife.” Pidge hissed, placing the book back on the table.

James narrowed his eyes at her, hands in his pockets as he moved to meet Keith’s eyes, grinning before flipping the bird on him, prompting the other boy to stand up and throw a punch at Jame’s face.

“Keith!” Pidge yelled, the staff coming over to separate the two.

That’s how Keith found himself in the principal’s office.

 

* * *

 

The car was silent on their way home, Shiro holding onto the wheel tightly before sparing a glance at the pale boy, sighing tiredly. “You shouldn’t waste your time on the kid. All he wants is to provoke you, and you always fall for it.” Shiro knew that Keith wouldn’t be able to hear him, but from the look on his face, he was very aware of the lecture Shiro was about to give him back home.

The older man kept driving, finally arriving back home, parking the car up front. As he closed the door, Keith spared a glance at the shore, reaching for any signs of Lance out there. Sunset was almost upon them, and he wanted to make it into the cave before night fell.

They entered the house, Keith faced with both Adam and Shiro who took him into the kitchen, all seated in what was going to be a serious talk.

“Keith, we know that the kid isn’t worth it, but you have to learn to ignore his advances. If you do, he’ll get bored of it eventually.” Adam wrote, slipping the paper to Keith whose eyes narrowed.

“He’s not worth it.” Shiro nodded, “But apart from that, we also wanted to talk to you about something else. Adam and I have been thinking about it for a while now, and we think it would be best for you to leave the island.”

That had Keith's immediate attention, looking up at them in confusion as they proceeded to explain themselves further. “This is a small island, and it won’t give you as many opportunities as some of the other cities around the world. You could organise your own galleries, and people would pay to come see your paintings. With the amount of people that are here, you wouldn’t get many visitors.”

Shiro’s words shook him harder than he thought was possible, holding onto the table tightly.

“We’re not telling you to leave, but we want you to think about your future. You’ll turn twenty in a month, and you know that we want what’s best for you.” Adam added, holding onto his mug of coffee.

Keith clenched his hand, and maybe he wasn’t thinking straight, because he stood up and found himself walking away. A small part of him knew that Shiro and Adam were just trying to help him out, and that they would listen to anything he wants to do, but the notion that he would leave scare him and made him unreasonable.

He raced up to his room, grabbing his bag before venturing out the door.

He didn’t get to gather any fish for Lance tonight, but he hoped the mer would forgive him for it. He needed to see the mer, lay down within his comforting touch to calm himself from today’s events.

He managed to make it onto the beach, and then the cave as well. He smiled when he spotted Lance inside, waving at him with a beaming smile on his face. Keith pulled himself up, and as soon as he was on the rock, he pulled the mer into a tight embrace, surprising him.

Lance moved his arms around him, letting Keith lean against him as he touched his hair. They lowered themselves on the rock, and Lance patiently waited for Keith to calm down before they would do anything else.

The pale boy eventually looked up, eyes meeting Lance’s blue orbs before the mer placed a peck on his lips. Keith hummed contently snuggling closer to the mer. They easily found themselves laying next to each other for hours before Lance eventually nudged him, his seaweed back beside him.

In his distress, Keith didn’t notice it at all, watching as Lance reached into it. He pulled out more fish, and with the new knowledge of what it meant, it made Keith blush. He accepted it, thanking Lance for the food. The mer seemed glad, pulling out another courting gift.

This time it was a carefully crafted bracelet, made up of little shells and a strong seaweed string that connected them all. Keith let Lance put it on his wrist, relishing the feeling of the bracelet on his hand.

He hummed contently, nuzzling against Lance’s neck as the mer returned the gesture. Although at one point Keith moved away, smiling teasingly as he leaned his hand against the mer’s nose, taking out a few things from his bag. He may not have brought fish with him, but instead he prepared something he knew that Lance would like.

Electricity didn’t mix well with a wet surface, not did the cave had any plugs that Keith could use, so instead he settled on a battery powered candles. He lit the first one up, Lance perking up and watching curiously as Keith began placing them around the cave that they now called their home.

He managed to set up about ten candles before settling himself beside Lance again, the mer looking around in astonishment. His webbed hand reached to examine one, touching the fake flame to see what it was.

Keith smiled as his face twisted in utter confusion, somehow trying to tell Lance that it was magic. The mer was fascinated, and Keith didn’t have it in him to tell him that they were actually battery powered candles. Well… not like the mer would know what batteries were, nor what candles looked like. It really felt like magic, and Keith wanted to keep it this way.

Without even knowing it, Keith ended up spending the night inside the cave, right beside Lance whose warm arms enveloped him, keeping him warm even against the cold rock floor.

 

* * *

 

The following night, Lance told Keith something that the human couldn’t find himself believing. It was surreal to think that something like that was possible, but he was torn apart by trusting Lance, and then the logical side of him that knew it wasn’t possible.

Then again, Lance had already managed to surprise him before, so it made Keith believe that it _really_  was possible. He found himself thinking about it all morning, and then all evening as well. A few days had passed since Adam and Shiro gave him the ‘talk’, asking him what he’d like to do in the future.

He thought about it carefully, adding in what Lance told him about to the mix. After thinking about his future for more than two weeks, Keith thinks he finally made a decision. He decided to act upon it and show his parents just what path he’d chosen to follow.

That’s why one day after Adam and Shiro arrived from work, Keith told them that he wanted to take them to the beach to meet someone important to him. At the time both Shiro and Adam had a hunch that they’d meet the person Keith was dating, and they were right, but not in a way they expected.

“Are they already here?” Shiro signed, the pale boy nodding as they walked closed to the water.

“Why did they decide to meet us at night?” Adam asked this time, and Keith tried to convey that there was a reason for it. he told them both to stand just where the waves went, walking into the water to see if he could see Lance anywhere.

Just as promised, Lance did appear, his head emerging from the water before he swam closer. Keith smiled as soon as he saw him. standing next to him as the mer found himself in shallow water, looking up at the two humans.

It was to be expected that both Shiro and Adam were shocked, looking at them in utter shock. It made Keith uneasy, unsure if it was a good sign or not. He couldn’t blame them that they would react like this, and he would probably be the same, but he sincerely hoped that the two would understand where he was coming from.

“I-Is that a mer?” Shiro finally spoke, Keith nodding his head in a ‘yes’.

“How? H-How are you?” Adam couldn’t even voice out his thoughts, and it was this point that Keith began to explain. He told them about how he found Lance washed up on shore with a spear in his tail, the mer showing his scar to confirm his words.

The he told them about him bringing Lance fish, and that that was the reason Adam couldn’t find any fish in their house for weeks. He told them how he helped Lance heal and how they bonded over the time they spent together. Then eventually he probed further, explaining how he fell in love with the beautiful mer. The courting gifts, the fish and then the lullaby that is actually mistaken by humans for being a deadly weapon.

At first Lance must have thought Keith accepted his song by listening to it, and he was right in that assumption. Although when Keith ran away, Lance was hurt by it, but stayed in hopes he would be seeing Keith again.

Somewhere along the line Lance realised that Keith was deaf, but that didn’t deter him from seeing Keith as a potential mate any less. He understood the reason why he listened to the song, but the mer didn’t mind at all. He was grateful and in love with the human who saved his life.

Lance held onto Keith’s hand, squeezing as the pale boy continued to explain. By the end of it Adam and Shiro seemed to be less wary of the mer, seated down on the sand and listening to their story.

“Wow… I never thought you were doing all these things Keith. I knew you had found yourself someone, but I never thought it would be a mer.” It was a twist that Adam never would have expected, and even now it was hard to realise that, yes, Keith did all those things and fell in love with a mer.

“But what does that mean in the long term?” Shiro was the one to ask, “Does that mean you want to stay on the island with Lance?”

Keith shook his head, squeezing Lance’s hand as he gathered himself. He turned to point to the sea, surprising his parents once again. Their faces twisted in confusion at first, but then they realised what the boy was implying.

“You want to live in the sea? With Lance? Keith… You know that’s not possible.” Keith was a human, and humans couldn’t live under the water. It didn’t make any sense, to none of them.

Keith understood their confusion, but then he went on to explain what Lance told him about before. What the humans didn’t know, contrary to Pidge’s theory, was that the mer didn’t mistake humans for potential mates. There was no mistaking there, because they really do sing their songs to the humans knowing that they’re humans.

Although unlike Keith, the others can hear their songs, thus the hypnotising effect that the mer don’t know about. When they sing though, they truly do see the humans as potential mates, trying to attract them.

Why would they do that? Apparently because the mer have the ability to adjust a human’s body to adapt to life in water. Once they place their bonding mark on their bodies, the humans gain fins and scales across their bodies, allowing them to live in the water.

Shiro and Adam found that part hard to believe, but Keith was set on it, fully trusting Lance’s words. Of course the two wouldn’t believe him right away, so Keith gave them that time to let the information sink in.

After telling his parents the truth, Keith found himself uneasy as he interacted with them. Shiro was a lot more quiet that he usually was, as well as Adam who was cooking dinner without a word. They watched Keith as he went out to meet Lance, and this time, he did tell them he was meeting him.

They didn’t have anything against it, only letting the notion set in, making it their new reality.

A few days passed, and the two finally made their decision. They sat themselves around the kitchen table, facing Keith who was on the other side, worriedly waiting for what they would tell him.

“Alright.” Shiro was the first to speak up, “If this is really what you want, then we won’t stop you. I still don’t know how it’ll be possible for you to live in the sea, and I don’t know if you’ll adapt, but I’m willing to let you go.”

A smile spread across Keith’s face, relieved that Shiro would accept his and Lance’s relationship.

“I’ll be worried sick, but I know it’s something you want to do.” Adam looked at the pale boy, smiling softly as he did, “If you somehow really manage to live in the sea, I want you to visit us every week. We’ll be waiting on the shore for you.”

Keith was out of himself, not holding back as he stood up and embraced the two tightly. They were understanding parents, and no matter how unreasonable this felt, they still accepted his decision. Keith couldn’t have asked for more loving parents, thanking the heavens that he had them in their lives.

Keith made a promise to keep visiting them, and also told them about the cave, and about how it was his and Lance’s home now. They are welcome to visit anytime they want.

 

* * *

 

The moment came when Keith would venture out into the sea, leaving behind his life on land in favour of living in the water with his future mate. Keith gave his parents a tight embrace, Lance already in the water and waiting for him.

Keith had managed to tell Pidge about Lance as well, hugging her as well as she sobbed, wiping at her wet eyes. Once he said his goodbye, Keith turned and walked into the sea, looking behind him one more time before his life would completely change.

He wouldn’t leave Shiro, Adam or Pidge behind because they would always he a part of his life. This was only him giving up his lifestyle on land, choosing the sea as his new home.

He gathered himself, walking further into the water until e eventually made it to the mer, placing a quick peck on his lips before they turned to the three, waving a goodbye. Keith found himself emotional, waving back at the three who waved back.

Then came the moment when his life would change, turning to face the sea before they submerged. Lance pulled them in deeper into the unknown, turning to Keith once they were deep enough. The human held in his breath, eyes on Lance as the mer, leaned closer, moving to bite at the nape of his neck as some of the blood was drawn.

Keith felt the painful stab throughout his entire body, then feeling a fire envelop him from within. He felt his body change, the fire coursing though his being. Before he knew it, it was over and he found himself able to breathe under the water. His eyes met Lance’s own, the mer smiling softly as he touched brought Keith’s hand to his gills, feeling them on his neck.

Apart from the new gills on his neck, Keith felt a few scales on his bod as well, reddish in colour as they shined against his legs. He didn’t have a tail, no, and he preferred it that way. Perhaps he could try going up to the surface once he was ready, able to both walk and swim within the sea.

His hands were webbed, as well as his toes, and Keith liked the change. He would need time getting used to it, but he already found his new body adjusting to the water, relishing in the coldness of the sea.

Lance held his hand, leaning closer to kiss his now mate on the lips, the kiss deep. Keith relished the sensation, experiencing a kiss under the water for the first time in his life. Once they parted, Lance tugged on his hand, inviting him for a swim.

Keith smiled, moving so that he could swim with the blue mer. He soon found himself in a swarm of colourful fishes swimming all around him, corals of different kinds passing them by as they swam.

Lance’s smile was so bright that it almost shone like the sun, and Keith found himself flustered by the mere sight of it. Soon a whole underwater city appeared before them, Keith’s eyes widening at the sight.

Lance made a hand motion, meant to represent a family. Keith squeezed his hand, nodding as they swam to the other mer, set on meeting his new family members while also visiting his own family on land as well.

Not only did Keith get to be with the mer he loved, but now he got to experience the beauty of both worlds. He couldn’t wait to get back to the cave and draw all that he’d seen. Holding onto Lance’s hand, he went to explore the unknown.

The world was beautiful, he knew that, but now everything seemed to shine so brightly that it was blinding. Lance changed his life, and he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with the mer he loved so much.

**Author's Note:**

> I had a need to write a mer fanfic. I'm on the beach right now so I'm inspired by the sea. I needed to join the train-wagon and join my fellow Lance stans in celebration of our precious peanut's birthday.
> 
> Feel free to message me on Tumblr if you're a fellow Lance stan: [Starellas](https://starellas.tumblr.com/)


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